Buffalo Bisons baseball – Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays

August 2010

Yankees’ top prospect Jesus Montero launched a pair of home runs and drove in four as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre clinched the IL North division with a 5-1 victory over the Bisons. Yanks’ starter D.J. Mitchell allowed just one hit in seven innings in his first win of the season.

Buffalo had just two hits, while Montero had the game’s two biggest knocks. The catcher launched a three-run homer in the first inning and a solo shot in the third to stake the Yankees to an early lead.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre held the 5-0 advantage into the top of the ninth. Buffalo had just one hit prior to the final frame, but started to rally with a lead-off single by Andy Green. Lucas Duda and Nick Evans followed with walks to load the bases with no outs.

The Yankees quickly turned to IL-saves leader Jonathan Albaladejo, but the Bisons still got on the board with a Russ Adams’ sacrifice fly. After a second out, Albaladejo hit Kirk Nieuwenhuis in the foot to load the bases and bring the game-tying run to the plate.

However, it wasn’t meant to be for the Bisons on Sunday as Mike Cervenak flew out to centerfield to end the game.

Southpaw Michael Antonini (1-3) took the loss for Buffalo. He allowed all five runs in six innings as he was also touched for a Colin Curtis home run in the bottom of the sixth.

The Bisons will now return to Coca-Cola Field for the start of a five-game in four-day series against the Chiefs and then the Yanks. Mets’ top prospect Jenrry Mejia is expected to pitch against Syracuse on Monday.

BISONS NOTES: Mike Cervenak finished the game 0-4 to see his 10-game hit streak come to an end…Before the ninth inning, the Bisons only hit was a third inning single by Jesus Feliciano…The Bisons drew six walks in

TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Bisons face the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in the final game of a three-game in two-day series at PNC Field (5:05 p.m.). The Herd split a doubleheader with the Yankees on Saturday night, winning 4-0 and losing 2-1. Following tonight’s game, the Bisons will return home for their final homestand of the 2010 season.

WILD RACE: Last night, the Bisons were able to gain another half-game in the IL Wild Card race. Buffalo now trails Columbus by just 1.5 games for the IL’s lone wild card spot. The Herd has 10 more games to play with a doubleheader on Wednesday against the Yankees. The Clippers have nine games left.

vs. THE YANKS: The Bisons are 7-5 against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, including a 5-2 mark at PNC Field. The Herd won three of four in Moosic to begin the season, April 8-11, and won the only game in a rain-shortened series on August 11.

FOR STARTERS: LHP MICHAEL ANTONINI will start for the Bisons tonight. The southpaw worked a season-high eight innings in his last outing, August 24 against Pawtucket. However, Antonini allowed four runs to fall in defeat. Overall, Antonini is 1-2 with a 4.50ERA in four starts since joining the Herd on August 9. He has worked at least six innings in each of his starts.

ROSTER MOVE: The Bisons have added RHP JENRRY MEJIA to their roster as the 20-year old is expected to start on Monday. The Mets #1 rated prospect, Mejia was 2-0 with a 1.32ERA in six starts with Double-A Binghamton. To make roster room, RHP JOHN LUJAN has been transferred to Binghamton.

FELICIANO BACK: OF JESUS FELICIANO had three hits in six at-bats in yesterday’s doubleheader. Feliciano now has a .346 (103-298) average in 80 games with the Herd. He is 33 plate appearances shy of league qualification. His average would lead all hitters by nine points.

WELL CERVED: INF MIKE CERVENAK has hit in 10-straight games, the longest active streak on the team. Since August 21, the infielder has averaged .436 (17-39) with two doubles, a home run, five RBI and six runs scored.

METS UPDATE: The Mets (64-65) lost 4-1 to the Astros last night from Citi Field. The Mets were just 1-10 with runners in scoring position. Former Bisons’ INF IKE DAVIS went 2-3 with a walk in the loss. LHP JOHAN SANTANA allowed four runs in seven innings to fall to 10-9 on the season. New York hosts the Astros again today at 1:05 p.m. in the rubber match of their three-game set.

The Buffalo Bisons and Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees split a crucial doubleheader on Saturday from PNC Field. The Bisons took game one 4-0, before dropping the second game 2-1. Both games were very exciting and had the energy of playoff baseball.

The Bisons did gain ground in the Wild Card race with Columbus losing their game tonight 8-0 against Indianapolis. Buffalo finds themselves 1.5 games back of the Clippers with 10 games remaining on the schedule.

In the first game of the doubleheader Kei Igawa and Dillon Gee were in a pitchers duel. Igawa faced the minimum 12 batters through the first four innings. Gee threw a shutout through 5.2 innings and tied a season high with 11 strikeouts to bring his season total to 161.

The Bisons however, jumped on Igawa in the seventh inning. The Herd started off the frame getting three hits off the starter, including a two-run double off the bat of the hot Russ Adams.

Buffalo would add a two-run homer from Mike Cervenak, his seventh long ball of the year, to go up 4-0. They would hold on to win by that final in the first game of the double dipper. In the first game the Yankees left 12 men on base in just seven innings and went 0x10 with runners in scoring position.

In game number two the Bisons once again saw a low scoring affair.

The Yankees took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a solo home run from Jorge Vazquez, his 15th of the year. The lead would hold up until the sixth inning when the Bisons struck back.

After Royce Ring got the first two outs of the frame, the Yankees brought in their star closer Jonathan Albaladejo. He already broke the International League record for saves earlier this year and has 42 total saves on the season. Albaladejo is also eight saves shy of establishing a new Minor League record for saves in a year.

However, this would not be his night and he would blow just his second save of the season. With the bases empty and two away in the inning, Valentino Pascucci hammered a fastball over the left field wall for his 16th homer of the year and to tie the game 1-1.

But the Yankees got that run right back in the top of the 7th. The speedy Greg Golson led off the frame with a double down the third base line. Two batters later it was Vazquez again providing the go-ahead run, this time with a bloop base hit into right field to easily score Golson and help the Yankees retake the lead 2-1.

The Bisons and Yankees will play the rubber match and the final game on top of Montage Mountain in 2010 tomorrow, with a 5:05 p.m. start time from PNC Field.

BISONS NOTES: With a hit in both games today Mike Cervenak has extended his hitting streak to 10 straight games…In his first games back with Buffalo since being sent down from the big leagues, Jesus Feliciano went 3×6 in the two games…With one win and one loss tonight the Bisons are now 5-2 at PNC Field this season

TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Bisons face the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in the first two games of a three-game series from PNC Field (5:35 p.m.). The Herd is coming off a two-game split in Syracuse to start this five-game in four-day roadtrip. This is only Buffalo’s second doubleheader this year, as they lost both games of a twin bill to Pawtucket on August 22.

WILD RACE: With last night’s win, the Bisons pulled back to within two games of Columbus in the IL Wild Card race. The Clippers lost to Louisville on Friday, 2-1. The Herd has 12 games left to Columbus’ 10 and can make up even more ground with tonight’s doubleheader. The Clippers host Indy tonight.

vs. THE YANKS: The Bisons are 6-4 against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, including a 4-1 mark at PNC Field. The Herd won three of four in Moosic to begin the season, April 8-11, and won the only game in a rain-shortened series on August 11. Tonight’s game one starter, RHP DILLON GEE, is 2-0 with a 0.00ERA and 12 strikeouts in two starts against the Yanks in 2010.

GOSH GOLLY: RHP DILLON GEE can add to his Triple-A leading strikeout total tonight. Gee has 150 punchouts, 12 more than any pitcher at this level. He has 27 in his last four starts as the righty recently cruised past the Bisons modern era single-season strikeout record (was 137, RHP Vicente Palacios, 1990). Gee is also second in the International League with 13 wins, just one behind Durham’s RHP Richard De Los Santos.

WELL CERVED: INF MIKE CERVENAK has hit in eight-straight games, the longest active streak on the team. Since August 21, the infielder has averaged .455 (15-33) with two doubles, three RBI and six runs scored. Cervenak is hitting .338 (27-80) in 21 games this month to bring his average up to .260, the highest it’s been since the opening weekend of the season.

FELICIANO BACK: OF JESUS FELICIANO has been optioned back to the Bisons after his third stint with the Mets this season. Feliciano still carries a .342 (100-292) average in 78 games with the Herd. He is 35 plate appearances shy of league qualification. His average would lead all hitters by six points.

METS UPDATE: The Mets (64-64) picked up the 2-1 win over the Astros on Friday night. New York had just three hits, but got eight dominating innnings from RHP MIKE PELFREY. Pelfrey allowed just six hits and struck out four to improve to 13-7 on the season. Bisons INF LUIS HERNANDEZ had his contract selected by New York before the game. The Mets host the Astros again tonight at 7:10 p.m.

No victory in late August is going to be easy. Friday night at Alliance Bank Stadium was no exception.

The Bisons defeated Syracuse 4-2 to snap their three-game skid and jump right back on the heals of the Columbus Clippers for the lone wild card spot in the International League. Triple-A rookie Josh Stinson shutout the Chiefs for seven innings before the Herd held on for the much-needed win.

Buffalo entered play Friday three games behind the Clippers and with just one win in their last six contests. Their 5-4 loss to the Chiefs in 14 innings on Thursday night could have been a devastating loss, as Buffalo lost more ground to the wild card race.

But the Bisons gained what ground they lost to the Clippers after Columbus lost 2-1 to IL West-leading Louisville. Buffalo is now two back with 12 games left in the season.

The story for most of Friday’s game was the start of Stinson. In just his second Triple-A start, the righty was brilliant with nine strikeouts in seven shutout innings. He allowed six hits, but all were singles. Stinson also helped his cause by walking just one batter and letting Syracuse bat with runners in scoring position only twice.

Things did get interesting, or rather scary, for the Bisons in the ninth inning. Yhency Brazoban came in and allowed two singles and a sacrifice fly as the Chiefs cut the lead to 4-1. After a walk and a strikeout, he was lifted for Mike O’Connor, who allowed an RBI-single to Chase Lambin.

With the game-tying runs on the bases, pinch hitter Carlos Maldonado turned on an O’Connor offering but lined out hard to third baseman Mike Cervenak to end the game.

The Bisons got on the board in the first when Andy Green reached on an error and scored on a wild pitch from Chiefs starter Yuneski Maya. They tacked on two more runs in the fifth with four straight two-out singles by Lucas Duda, Nick Evans, Valentino Pascucci and Cervenak.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis provided insurance in the seventh with an RBI-double.

BISONS NOTES:Mike O’Connor earned his fourth save of the season…Valentino Pascucci reached base three times with a single and two walks. He has a .398 on-base percentage in 60 games with the Bisons…With two doubleheaders left on the schedule, including one on Saturday in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Buffalo has 12 games left while Columbus has just 10.

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